Horticultural Challenge

     Let's start with a picture of a blossom I took in our yard just a few minutes ago.  I intentionally cropped out anything that would give you a sense of scale

     I'm sure that several of you will recognize the flower.  For others it will be a puzzle. 
     I saw the neurologist this morning.  My main problem is the arthritis in my right hip.  That issue is not in his bailiwick.  We kicked the neuropathy can down the road; i.e. I'll stay with the Lyrica for two to three more weeks.  If it doesn't help, I'll phase off of it.  Thursday is our primary care physician.  Hopefully she can pull the whole picture together and we can make some progress.
     Durelle and Cindy are on the golf course.  When they finish, we'll meet for a late lunch at the "Noisy Oyster".

Evening Sky

     Last evening Durelle yelled, "Frank, get the camera. The sky is beautiful."   I do what I'm told, but she was certainly correct.  There was nothing special about the sky earlier to indicate that it was going to be a great night for sunsets.  Here's another.

     It has cooled down enough that the AC sees only occasional use.  Everyone is quickly getting retrained to a conventional house, and I am really enjoying the Jacuzzi.  Cindy's being on vacation this week has been a pleasant addition.  Can you handle one more sunset picture?

Home Sweet Home

     

It's good to be home.

     We've been home since Monday.  The bus is unpacked and at ProTech for a few repairs.  Durelle has caught up on the wash and has everything back in it wintertime location.  We have taken our time and appreciated Cindy's help.  Those two even played golf Thursday.  The old Corvette was in fine running order.  Thanks, Tom.

     I've had one doctor's appointment with two more next week.  I'm sleeping OK, and I'm getting around in a limited fashion.  Durelle, of course, is doing just fine...fortunately.  There is not much to report.  Remember: no news is good news.

Safe Arrival

     I just tried, unsuccessfully, to send a number of you a note proclaiming a safe arrival.  Unfortunately, my reestablished computer configuration won't allow me to compose and send emails.  Until I sort that out I hope this venue will reach most of you.  We got in at 1300.  It was the shortest day of the five, but it seemed like the longest.  After unhooking the Jeep and parking and chocking the bus, I turned the unpacking over to the ladies....felt like a wuss, but really had no choice.  The first doctor's appointment is tomorrow.  Now it is time for a small martini.
     Thanks to all for your concern.

Checkered Flag

     You can tell we are back in the south.  The owner of the rig next door as we pulled in was in a recliner watching an outside, flat screen TV.  Was he watching one of the many football games?  Nope...NASCAR.
     We pulled in to a KOA in Statesville, NC just before 1600.  The reason for the "late" arrival is that we spent an hour forty visiting with a cousin I had not seen in over twenty years.  Anika and I were contemporaries growing up.  Our fathers were unusually close brothers, and in each case we were the first born.  They live in Lynchburg, VA so they arranged to meet us at rest stop on I-81S.  It was a very nice reunion.  Below is a picture of Bob and Anika Chevalier and Durelle.

     Bob is a retired Navy WO and Anika is a nurse who takes good care of him.  They were married 55 years ago.
     If you are still puzzling about the title of the blog, it has nothing to do with our neighbor's TV preferences.  What it means is that the end is in sight.  We are about 225 miles from Charleston, and I am within 24 hours of turning off the adrenaline spigot.  We'll get in at midday, unhook the Jeep, turn off the fridge (because of the slope of our driveway), park the bus and take our time unloading.  Our talented daughter, Cindy, is about to become a pack mule.
     Thanks to all for a great summer.

Staunton, VA

     Still no pictures.  This is very pretty Virginia horse country, so, if I got off my butt and wandered around, there would be some nice pictures.  We are in Staunton, VA, about in the middle of the state.  Two more easy days and I'll let everyone know where things stand.
     What a pitiful post for number 500!

White Haven, PA

     Two days down; three to go.  Today had a scary start.  I had noticed on our first night out that the main living room/dinette slide did not go out smoothly and uniformly.  So I was expecting trouble this morning.  That's the one that has given us trouble ever since we were burglarized and had difficulties corralling all the pieces of broken safety glass that got under it.  This morning the aft corner didn't want to move in with the rest of the slide.  I made two tentative tries, stopping short of getting the thing cockeyed and jammed.  I went outside, put my back against the slide, hooked my hands under the edge behind me and heaved up and in while Durelle activated the motor.  Great news!  It worked.  Guess where it's going to stay until we get home?  We can easily live with just the three other slides.  I don't think that activity was on my approved physical therapy regimen, but it worked and no harm was done.
     On a couple of side notes of interest only to the Moorings crew: the dishwasher door now locks for travelling and the red generator light over the bed no longer comes on in the middle of the night.
     We are in White Haven, PA on I-80 almost to I-81 south.  We took an interesting shortcut to get from I-84 to I-80.  PA 423 runs right by the Tobyhanna Army Depot in the heart of the Poconos.  It sure ain't cruise control country, but it was only a dozen miles or so and it worked fine.  I guess it was one of Dick Roth's "red roads".
     Our target for tomorrow is Verona, Va which advertises "four indoor hot tubs"...one of which has my name on it.  Now it's time for a little "happy hour"with some lobster dip.
      

Heading South

     This post does not contain pictures of scenery, food or cute dogs.  Neither does it describe any fine adventures or enjoyable social events.  The ONLY purpose if to give a status report to all those generous, considerate and honestly concerned friends who have been so helpful as I packed up some tired bones and headed home.
     Day one was 264 miles which deposited us in Sturbridge, MA at three-o-clock.  A pull through site made set up easier.  Durelle and I could list a dozen folks who helped and made sure we got under way safely.  There are dozens more whose sincere concern is greatly appreciated.
     Forgive me for not trying to list you all here.  The list would include friends for decades as well as those whose friendship is only a few days old.  I'm still hobbling around, but the actual driving presented no problem.  Stamina is a problem, but we'll make it.  Four days to go...we hope to see you next summer.

Winding Down

     We plan to pull out on Thursday, the 12th.  We also plan to spend five leisurely days between here and SC.  The longest day will be 300 miles.  I'm sorta limping along and look forward to getting to the root of my afflictions.  The seasons are changing rapidly.  Today we went from heavy rain to blue skies in a matter of minutes.  Today I spent a couple of hours getting reacquainted with our neurologist camping friends, Stover and Debbie (and Amos). Check  2 Sept 2012 for a previous reference.
     This is a quiet time as we get everything squared away for the trip south.  The evening was pleasant and I took a few pictures of Penobscot Bay.  The overnight low is projected to be 42 degrees.

     

  

     The setting sun illuminated a small cruise ship heading into Belfast harbor.

   Here's a shot of one lone hydrangea that just will not give up.

     And here's a shot of our home for at least the next week or so.

New Harbor, Maine

     For the better part of a century a modest, three-season cottage on the shore of Muscongus Bay has belonged to the Gardner clan.  Fortunately Gene Gardner, a "downeaster" if there ever were one, married Ruth Grover.  She in turn was the aunt to Durelle Grover who, of course, joined the Cloutier clan fifty three years ago.  Hence the connection.  We first started to spend some wonderful weeks at the cottage thirty five years ago.  Without regaling you with even a small portion of the pleasant stories of family and friends that occurred here, permit me to set the stage.  Immediately across route 32 in front of the cottage is the Rachel Carson "Silent Spring" salt pond.  A salt pond is a small (perhaps a hundred yards across) depression that fills up during high tide and remains full as the tide retreats.  At midday in the summer it is waist deep in the center and warms up in the sun until it is the most comfortable body of salt water on the Maine coast.  Assorted coastal aquatic critters are often deposited there who must await the next high tide to escape.
     The expanse of Maine woods extending from the porch a quarter of a mile downhill to the coastal road has been cut down and grown up as various generations have cleaned out the view.  Few can forget the admonitions of Gene who permitted the pines to go, but insisted on preserving the oaks.  It is currently cleared again.  Yesterday we ventured down from Belfast, and I took another picture from the porch.  Look for route 32 at the foot of the hill, the salt pond immediately beyond it and a large home on Long Cove Point on the other side of Long Cove.

     The cottage is largely unchanged.  It is still heated by a wood stove and a fireplace.  The outhouse was replaced by a septic system in the late forties.  The water supply is still provided by an above ground hose.  When we made our unannounced visit, all three Gardner boys were there along with Harold's wife Dianne and Dianne's folks.  It was a quick visit as we headed over to Shaws for a lunch with Estelle Anderson and her daughter Karen.  The shot below shows the flowers in the parking lot.

     And the last shows the arrival of lunch on the deck.